Shoe Drive Sunday Ohio State fans are encouraged to bring gently-used shoes to donate at either the Ohio State men’s game vs. Northwestern (1 p.m.) or the women’s game vs. Illinois (5 p.m.) Sunday. Shoes will be donated to those in need as part of Ohio State’s participation in Soles4Souls in which student-athletes travel abroad over the summer providing shoes to those less fortunate. The first 100 fans to donate at each game Sunday will receive a voucher for a free popcorn.

Starting Five • Junior Keita Bates-Diop will have season-ending surgery on his left leg to repair a stress fracture he has been battling since missing about two months of summer workouts with the injury. Bates-Diop played in nine games this season around illness, a right ankle sprain sustained in the Providence game (Nov. 17) and lingering pain from the left-leg stress fracture. He averaged 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds this season. Ohio State will apply for a medical redshirt season on Bates-Diop’s behalf following the 2016-17 campaign. If granted, he will have two seasons of eligibility remaining. • Senior Marc Loving became the 53rd Buckeye all-time to reach 1,000 career points. Loving scored 15 points at Nebraska the last time out. He is the 12th player in the Thad Matta era to reach 1,000 career points as a Buckeye. His point total of 1,162 is 37th on the all-time Ohio State scoring list with Frank Howard. Lawrence Funderburke is No. 36 with 1,179 career points. • Ohio State has won at least 10 Big Ten regular season games (11-7 in 2016) over the last 11 seasons, the longest streak in school history and the longest streak among Big Ten schools over Thad Matta’s 13-year tenure with the Buckeyes. Wisconsin (12-6 in conference play last year) has a streak of 10-consecutive seasons with 10+ victories in regular season league play. • Thad Matta is No. 13 all-time in career Big Ten regular-season victories … Matta owns 145 career league triumphs. He passed Harold “Bud” Foster (WIS 1935-59) who won 143 league encounters with the win over Michigan State (72-67/Jan. 15 in Columbus). The No. 12 spot is held by former Ohio State coach Harold Olsen (1923-46). He won 154 league games over his tenure. • Jae’Sean Tate and Marc Loving are working on becoming Ohio State’s 26th/27th players with 1,000 career points and 500 career boards…Tate has 903 points (11.0 ppg.) and 489 caroms (5.8 rpg.) over 82 career appearances…Tate reached 900 points with 13 at Nebraska the last time out … Loving has 1,162 career points (9.6 ppg.) and 462 career rebounds (3.8 rpg.)…Deshaun Thomas was the most recent Buckeye to join the 1,000/500 club in 2013…he finished with 1,630/560.

Off the Bench • Since Thad Matta took over the Ohio State program the Buckeyes have competed against 124 opponents ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, the third-most games against ranked foes in all of NCAA Division I men’s basketball. The Buckeyes are 54-70 in those games with a winning percentage of .435. That win total ranks No. 11 nationally for victories vs. ranked opponents since 2004-05. • Matta is closing on the Ohio State record for most games coached in a career. His teams have played in 447 games to date (332-115). Harold G. Olsen (1923-46) coached in 456 games (259-197) and Fred Taylor was on the sidelines for 455 career games (297-158) from 1959-76. • Jae’Sean Tate is one of two Power 5 Conference players 6-4 or shorter averaging more than six rebounds per game (Juwan Parker of Georgia is averaging 6.0). Overall, Tate is tied for 20th nationally among players 6-4 or shorter with 6.3 rebounds per game … he also is tied for 10th nationally among players 6-4 or shorter with 1.9 offensive rebounds per game. • Trevor Thompson is tied for the most double-doubles (five) nationally among players averaging fewer than 23 minutes per game. In games where Thompson comes off the bench, he is averaging the second-most rebounds per game nationally at 8.5.

Buckeyes Balanced on Offense Through 19 games, Ohio State has five players contributing 10 or more points a game. Junior Jae’Sean Tate leads the way with 14.1 ppg. He is followed by senior Marc Loving (11.4), sophomore JaQuan Lyle (12.3), junior Trevor Thompson (10.6) and junior Kam Williams (10.3). Junior Keita Bates-Diop, who is out for the remainder of the season (stress fracture, left leg) averaged 9.7 ppg. in nine appearances this year. Thompson’s 9.0 rebounds a game leads the team.

Thompson’s Effort on the Glass vs. UConn One of Best in Matta Era Since Thad Matta took over at Ohio State in 2004-05, there have been eight games in which a Buckeye recorded 17 or more rebounds. Trevor Thompson recorded a career-best with 17 boards vs. Connecticut. He also tallied a career-high 17 points in the 64-60 win last Saturday in Columbus. Both Greg Oden (vs. Purdue, 3/10/07) and Jared Sullinger (vs. South Carolina Dec. 18, 2010) recorded 19-rebound games. Sullinger also had a pair of games with 18 boards (both vs. Northwestern 3/11/11, 2/29/12). Evan Turner recorded two games with 17 caroms (vs. Alcorn State 11/9/09; and James Madison 11/12/09). Turner’s effort vs. Alcorn State was part of triple-double in which he scored 14 points and handed out 10 assists. Terence Dials also grabbed 17 boards in a game vs. Illinois (12/12/06).

Ohio State vs. Northwestern Series Ohio State leads the all-time series with Northwestern 117-45. The Buckeyes are 68-14 in Columbus and have not lost to the Wildcats at home since 1978, a streak of 31-consecutive Ohio State wins. The Wildcats are 31-48 against the Buckeyes in Evanston with Ohio State owning the lone neutral game win in the series. Thad Matta teams are 19-1 vs. Northwestern, including a 9-0 record in Columbus. The Buckeyes are 9-1 in Evanston and 1-0 in Big Ten Tournament competition. JaQuan Lyle (12.0 ppg./5.5 rpg.) and Trevor Thompson (11.5 ppg./9.5 rpg.) are the lone Buckeyes averaging in double figures offensively in the Northwestern series. Each has played twice against the Wildcats. Senior Marc Loving has the most experience in the series with four games played (8.0 ppg./3.7 rpg.). Jae’Sean Tate (7.7 ppg.) and Kam Williams (8.7 ppg.) are next with three appearances in the series.

Scouting the Wildcats The Wildcats travel to Columbus with a record of 15-4 overall and a 4-2 record in Big Ten Conference play. Northwestern fell to Butler and Notre Dame in nonconference action while dropping games at Michigan State and at home to Minnesota in conference play. A trio of Wildcats lead the way offensively for Northwestern. Junior guard Scottie Lindsey leads the way with 15.8 points per game. Sophomore forward Vic Law adds just over 14 points while junior guard Bryant McIntosh adds 12.3 ppg.

Last Time vs. Northwestern JaQuan Lyle led five Ohio State players in double-figures as the Buckeyes rallied to beat Northwestern 71-63 Feb. 9, 2016 in Columbus. Keita Bates-Diop had six of his 11 points for Ohio State during a 15-2 run that swung the game in the Buckeyes’ favor midway through the second half.Lyle, who had four points during the Buckeyes’ go-ahead spurt, finished with 16 points and Marc Loving had 15 for Ohio State. Trevor Thompson added 12 and Jae’Sean Tate had 10 for the Buckeyes. Tre Demps and Bryant McIntosh scored 14 points apiece, Alex Olah had 11 and Scottie Lindsey added 10 for Northwestern. The Wildcats led for most of the first 35 minutes but the Buckeyes used a press to take over down the stretch.

Ohio State vs. The Big Ten Ohio State is competing in its 105th season as a member of the Big Ten Conference in 2016-17. The Buckeyes own an overall record of 797-705 against current league members. Thad Matta, in 17 seasons as a head coach, owns an overall record of 172-82 vs. league members, including a mark of 168-79 while coaching the Buckeyes.

Matta Streak vs. Non-Conference Foes Thad Matta has directed Ohio State to at least 10 wins during non-conference play in 12 of his 13 full seasons in Columbus. Matta is 164-35 vs. non-conference competition at Ohio State and 168-79 vs. Big Ten foes (regular season and Big Ten tournament games) for an overall record of 332-115. In 17 seasons as a head coach (1 at Butler, 3 at Xavier and 13 at Ohio State) Matta is 172-81 vs. the current roster of Big Ten teams. He has winning records vs. 10-of-13 league opponents: ILL (17-6), IND (12-10), IOWA (13-7), MICH (19-7), MINN (14-7), NW (19-1), PSU (21-2), PUR (18-9), NEB (10-1) and RUT (3-0). He is four games under .500 vs. Michigan State (12-15) and is one under vs. Wisconsin (12-14) and Maryland (2-3).

Rookie Starters in Matta Era Thad Matta has started seven freshmen in their first game at Ohio State during his tenure (2005-present). Four of those rookies did so from 2005-06 to 2006-07. Rookie Micah Potter, a freshman center from Mentor, Ohio, started his first game as a Buckeye at Navy Nov. 14. The two most recent freshman starters were Jared Sullinger at center in 2010-11 and rookie guard D’Angelo Russell in 2014-15. David Lighty and Mike Conley Jr. were the first freshmen starters in the Matta era in 2006. Jon Diebler and Kosta Koufos got the starting nod in 2007-08.

Noting the Nebraska Game • Ohio State leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 14-3. • Nebraska shot 41.67 percent on the night, the 18th opponent this season to shoot less than 50 percent against the Buckeyes. • This was the first one point victory for the Buckeyes on the road since Feb. 1, 2014 when they defeated Wisconsin 59-58. • The Buckeyes are now 1-1 in games decided by one point this season. • The last time Ohio State overcame a deficit of 10 or more points in a game was vs. Penn State (35-25/4:18 of 1st half) March 10, 2016. Ohio State won that game 79-75. Nebraska led by 12 in the first half. • Ohio State is 73-2 when collecting at least 43 rebounds in a game during the Matta era. The Buckeyes grabbed 45 boards at Nebraska. • While at Ohio State, Thad Matta teams are 8-3 in games decided by one point. He is 3-0 on the road in 1-point games. • The Huskers are the 11th team this season which the Buckeyes have held under 70 points on the season. • The Buckeyes are 10-1 in games in which their opponent score less than 70 points this season. • This was the second time this season Ohio State has won after trailing at the half. • Four Buckeyes scored in double figures on the night. • Thad Matta has 145 career regular-season wins in Big Ten Conference play, good for the No. 13 spot all-time in Big Ten history. • With Matta at the helm, Ohio State has an overall record of 168-79 against Big Ten members. Matta owns a career record of 332-115, 172-82 against Big Ten Conference teams. • Matta coached teams are now 211-29 in games in which his teams’ outrebound their opponent. • JaQuan Lyle put up 13 points, three assists and five rebounds in the contest. • Lyle has now scored in double figures in 13 games this season. • Trevor Thompson tallied 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds on the night. • Thompson has scored in double figures in five consecutive games. • Jae’Sean Tate recorded 13 points and five rebounds in the game. • Tate has now scored in double-digits in 17 of 19 games this season. • Marc Loving led the Buckeyes in scoring on the night dropping 15 points and grabbing 11 boards. • This was his second double-double of the season and the eighth of his career.